


A Night to Remember

by spiritsl



Category: Mass Effect - All Media Types, Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Alien Romance, Awkwardness, Crushes, Drinking, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Fun, Height Differences, Naked Cuddling, Partying, Sharing a Bed, Slow Burn, Slow Dancing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-16
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-05-07 16:26:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14674935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spiritsl/pseuds/spiritsl
Summary: It's been two years since the Nexus arrived in Andromeda, and there's finally something to celebrate. The party everyone has been waiting for is happening tonight, and Sara Ryder is going to navigate speeches, tricky dance floors, and her growing attraction to a currently off duty militia captain. And alien booze.





	1. To the Party

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in two days. And I'm still going. Like a madwoman. A madwoman that has fallen hopelessly in love with yet another Turian cop. This will be several chapters, followed by more fics exploring everything these two can do. For the record, this Sara is based on my typical playthrough, so be prepared for little details to differ from the typical.

Flicking the mascara applicator over her lashes for what had to be the fifth time, Sara Ryder pushed her face so close to the mirror her nose almost touched it, scanning for any microscopic flaws that might embarrass her later. Fluttering her eyelids, she was pleased to spot no gunk or imbalances. Just perfectly balanced lashes. Pulling back a tad, she puckered her lips and tilted her head in every direction, looking over her work both to check and admire. Perfect soft foundation, glowing highlights, subtle blush, sparkling cherry lipstick, and dark chocolate eyeshadow touched off with the faintest hint of glitter. Beaming with pride, she sat back and gave her short hair a light fluff, admiring how her painstaking curls fell into perfect position when they fell. She may not have been much for makeup on a day to day basis, but when it was time to show off, she was an _artist_. Mom had seen to it that both of her children knew the power of a good touch-up. Scott preferred the more natural, old fashioned approach like his father, but even he took part from time to time. Eyebrows that perfectly shaped and a face that balanced didn't just happen, one needed skill with contouring and some very fine tweezers.

"Hey Ryder, you decent?"

Sara put down her tools and swiveled her chair away from her desk to face the door of her quarters, recognizing the voice as Vetra.

"More than just decent. Come on in." The doors hissed and pinged before opening to allow her friend entrance, and Sara found herself holding her breath in anticipation. She'd never seen a Turian get dressed up before, and rarely ever saw Vetra in casuals, so to say she was excited was an understatement.

Vetra entered with just the faintest hint of flair in the form of a slightly more hip swinging walk than usual, and when Sara saw her outfit, she understood why. It was based on the typical female Turian wear, with a top accentuated with flowing partial skirts over pants, but far more elaborate and with notably more skin showing on the arms and legs. Dark black fabric accentuated with red and just the tiniest hint of gold, and the flowing semi-skirt was long in the back to form a train that just touched the ground. Sara whistled softly in admiration.

"Whoa, that typical Turian formal wear?"

"Maybe not typical. But I like it." Vetra replied with a laugh, letting the soft fabric flutter behind her. Bringing an uncovered hand to her face, she pointed out some new purple markings that had been added. "Makeup is a bit more traditional. But I was never good with the face painting. Like to keep it simple." She tilted her head and smiled in the way Turians did with just their eyes and mandibles. "And what about that outfit? Typical human party outfit?"

Sara stood up, still dwarfed by her friend even with her heels. Giving a bit of a twirl in Vetras direction, she let the long, flowy edges of her scarlet dress flutter against the floor before standing in a mock sultry pose.

"Sort of a mermaid dress. Not really typical either, but my favorite look."

Vetra cocked a brow. "That didn't translate. Mermaid?"

Sara's pose faltered. "It's uh... long story, old earth myth. I'll explain after we've had some drinks. There's actually a bit of a story behind the whole outfit anyway." Her friend chuckled again, approaching her to better look over the elegant ensemble Sara had put together.

"I see it emphasizes the, ah..." Vetra paused, making a cupping gesture over her own flat chest. Sara giggled and pushed her chest out proudly, quite happy with the lift and cleavage her outfit gave the two impressive looking mounds on her chest. Shaking her head, Vetra folded her hands back behind her. "I have to admit I just don't get it. Some Turians go crazy for em though."

"Seriously?"

"Oh yeah. There's a whole subset of my species that goes crazy for all the *soft* parts on yours, with emphasis on the ladies." She paused and looked off into the distance with a blank expression. "Especially the hair. They really dig the hair. I don't get it."

Trying not to laugh at the image of a Turian getting all hot and bothered over a head of hair, she gave her curls a playful lift. "What can I say, we work hard on it. I do, anyway."

"And it looks good. I just don't get the fascination. You're kind obsesses over their hair like Turian men do with their crests."

Eyebrows arching beyond her ability to hide it, Sara couldn't help but ask. "What do they do?"

Vetra laughed and gestured for Sara to follow. "I'll explain on the way. If we keep chatting like boot camp girls, we'll be late. Everyone else is already headed to the lift so we can arrive together."

"Okay, just take it slow. I can't exactly jog at Turian speed in these heels." Sara said, following behind as the door opened up. Vetra looked down at her and shook her head playfully.

"I also don't get the heels. What's the point of shoes you can't walk in?"

Sara shrugged and listened proudly to the clacking of her heels against the metal of the ships floor, loving the presence it gave her but deciding to omit that from her answer. "They make my legs look good. We can't all be digitigrade."

"So my legs naturally look good? I'll take it."

"Sure. Now. What's up with the crests? Do they... dye them or something?" Sara asked, keeping pace as they passed the galley and medical bay to enter the back of the ship. She was trying to imagine a Turian getting a dye job the same way humans did, with their head all wrapped up in aluminum... Okay, that was a hilarious image. She was definitely sharing that with Gil.

"Dye. Polish. Artificially lengthen. Reshape. They do everything to draw more attention to it." Vetra explained, sounding more than a little exasperated at the idea. Internally, Sara made realized that the idea of a male Turian wanting a long crest to show off could easily be related to something else, but she kept it to herself. At least for now, anyway. She'd probably share it once they were both buzzed... "It can be attractive sometimes though. Especially if they have a decent sense of style."

They reached the unloading ramp and Sara was careful to lift her dress and take each step with consideration. God only knew what a debacle it would be if the Pathfinder tripped and rolled down onto the docking platform in her best outfit... Sure, there was no one around and the lights were dimmed to simulate night, but she knew it would get out somehow. Vetra slowed up to ensure she didn't get too far ahead, and some part of Sara knew that she was also probably watching to add some extra security against tripping in heels. God bless that Turian...

"Oh, by the way, Sid will be there." Vetra said, filling in the silence as they both stepped safely onto the platform and made their way into the building. Lights guided them up the tunnel and into the newly built Pathfinder bay, a private docking area to ensure that they could come and go without interruption. There were no shops or Avinas or hydroponics to greet them, but the peace and quiet was well worth it. "She's probably going to corner you and unleash all the questions she's been saving up. Hasn't stopped talking about "a real chance to talk with the Pathfinder" since they announced this party."

"I'll take her over Tann or Addison any day. At least she thinks I'm doing my job right." Sara replied, thinking back to how the teen had been fast friends with her ever since they'd solved the Three Sabers debacle. Telling off Addison at the end had been a very sweet bonus...

"Looks like the cavalry is already here." Vetra mused, looking to the gathering of the full Tempest crew waiting for them. Sara felt her heart leap at the sight. All of her friends, dressed up to their very best, ready to party the night away and celebrate their success. She'd never been happier. Each turned to greet her as they arrived, with Gil standing out front in his brightly patterned rose suit.

"There you are! We've been waiting forever!" He mock berated, raising his hands in exasperation.

"Half an hour isn't forever, Gil." Kallo reminded, sitting comfortably by Suvi on one of the benches by the oxygen providing indoor gardens. The salarian was wearing the typical dress gear of his kind, which consisted of a full body suit made of fine materials highlighted with soft, water like patterns. Suvi, for her part, was wearing a short blue dress with her normal makeup and just a bit of a sweep to her hair. Gil crossed his arms and put on a pout that was probably only half faked.

"No, but it's long enough for Jill to beat me to the party. I had a round of drinks riding on that bet." Peebee stepped behind him to offer a comforting pat on the shoulder. Sara was a little surprised to see her in some kind of ornate suit instead of a typical Asari dress, but then realized that Peebee's desire to rebel from the norm probably applied to every facet of her life, including party wear.

"Who cares? It's an open bar!" The rogue academic joked, expression going blank before she spoke up again with less certainty. "It is an open bar, right?"

"Yes, which is why I'd like to remind everyone to stick to the drink limits I assigned all of you." Lexi spoke up from the corner in a simple Asari gown, gaze still locked on her omni-tool. "I will *not* be stuck treating hangovers on my shore leave."

"Bunch of light weights like these, you'll probably need to reconsider that, doc." Drack joked, leaning against one of the garden walls on the outer edge of the group.

"Really Drack, no tux?" Sara teased, not at all surprised to see the krogan elder in his typical armor but still wishing he'd tried, just so she could see what a Krogan would call "fancy. Drack only shrugged with a grin at the comment.

"Polished the bones a little. Krogan don't _do_  formal wear. Ever."

"And as nice as we all look regardless, it's all going to waste unless we get to the party." Liam said, stepping into the middle to draw attention to himself. Sara had to admit, he cut quite the figure in a lovely blue suit. Waving his arm to the tram station, he started walking to beckon everyone to follow. "So let's hop on that tram and get going."

"I heard that." Cora said in agreement, standing up and fixing any potential wrinkles in her elegant Asari gown. Finding herself a little shocked at the sight of Cora in a dress, and cutting a very nice figure in it, Sara only followed the group without taking her instinctive lead. Brushing back her distinctive hair style, the former huntress smiled at her compatriots. "Can't wait to see what you all look like on the dance floor."

"Will we all fit?" Sara asked in genuine concern, having never had more than two or three people on board at any given time. As the bay doors opened and the shuttle welcomed them with a ping, she heard Jaal speak up from behind her.

"So long as we're unafraid to be a little cramped." He assured, pausing as the front of the group filed on as comfortably as a mass tangle of multiple species dressed to their best could manage. Sara set her lips to avoid laughing at the sight, and turned back to Jaal with the barely hidden amusement. The Angaran wore a concerned smile, along with an outfit she had never seen before. It reminded her of what the Moshae wore, though with more blues and fewer colored gemstones. As the last of them packed in, she heard him mutter. "Though I do hope it's a rather short ride..."

"Alright, one two year Arrival Anniversary shendig, coming right up." Liam announced, hitting in the destination and setting them on their way. The crowd settled into a comfortable murmur of chatter as they zipped along to the line to the Nexus Convention Center. Sara felt her heart rate jump in excitement. This was going to be a wonderful night, no doubt about it, and she would get to share it with all of her dearest friends. Everyone who could be there was going to be at this party, meaning that the guest list would be in the hundreds and the celebration would be beyond compare. There would be food, drinks, dancing... Everything they'd been missing out on for so long, and they'd all finally get a chance to enjoy it. They'd made it...

"Oh, Ryder, sit here!"

Looking down to her side, she saw Suvi tapping the seat beside her, and she happily obliged with a smile. The red head looked even perkier than usual, and it was hard not to feel her own excitement build with someone to bounce it off of.

"Isn't this just so exciting? I haven't had a real party since the take off..." She whispered in her typical brogue, holding a small purse close in her kneading hands. "You look fantastic by the way, love your hair. Can never get mine to cooperate. Even my own synthesized hair spray couldn't tame it..."  
  
Sara laughed and waved a hand to dismiss the thought. "It still looks great. Love the dress too. Where'd you get it?"

"The basics, I got off one of those extranet catalogs. But this lil beauty has a few of my own improvements..." She answered devilishly, making Sara give the apparently innocent gown a once over. It _looked_  like any other dress, just with a bit of a sheen to the fabric. What was she getting at? Sensing the confusion, Suvi only giggled and promised. "I'll show you when we're on the dance floor."

That gave Sara an idea as to what she meant, and she returned the smile with a whisper. "Mine's got a few surprises too. But I won't be dancing to show them off-"

"No dancing?"

"I don't dance. Ever. For good reason." Sara said plainly.

"But it's a party! What else is there to do?" Suvi asked, looking genuinely shocked.

"Drink. Eat. Hang out with the couple hundred people on the guest list." Sara explained, hoping she wouldn't be pressed for more. It was bad enough Scott was always teasing her about being the twin with two left feet... Thankfully, Suvi appeared far more understanding.

"That's alright. I can just show you once we get into the swing of things. You're gonna be pretty busy already with the whole Pathfinder speech, right?"

Sara felt her gut drop at the reminder. She hadn't _forgotten_ , but she had managed to push that out of her mind until now. Speeches, right. Because Tann couldn't just throw a normal party with no boring speedbumps to drag things down...

"What have you got planned anyway? If you don't mind me asking."

"Nothing big. Just a quick congrats and a thank you to everyone involved. I refuse to drag on and make these poor people wait for the party they've earned. That _we've_  earned."

"My kind of speech. Then getting lost in the crowd should be easy. The place is huge. Have you seen it yet?"

"Nope. Have you?"

Suvi brought up her omni-tool and generated some blueprints. Even without too much experience with space superstructure architecture, Sara immediately gathered she was looking at the layout of a very large space meant to hold a lot of people.

"It was built with every kind of gathering in mind, and a guest list of a couple thousand. It can shift the back wall to shrink or expand as needed, and then there's the adjacent dining halls and lounges, the stage, plus the necessary facilities, and a kitchen to prepare meals... Multiple stories too." She explained, sounding more than impressed herself by the layout. "The Citadel was always a little lacking on large meeting places, guess this was made to rectify that. We'll be arriving at the VIP shuttle station backstage to ensure there's no hassle."

"And then, according to the schedule, each Initiative leader and Pathfinder will give a speech, then open up the floor for mingling and whatever the hell "light refreshments" are. Hopefully beer. I'll need to get my drink started after facing a crowd that big." Sara sighed, suddenly getting a good bit of nervousness mixed in with her excitement. Why did the shortness of the shuttle ride and the rapidly approaching destination now seem like less of a good thing? Reading her nervousness, Suvi put a gentle hand over hers.

"You'll do great, Sara. How hard can a speech be after taking down the Archon?"

"You'd be surprised..."

The shuttle pinged in announcement of it's arrival, and the murmur in the car rose to an excited pitch as everyone pushed to be near the exit.

"Owch, Gil, that's my foot!"

"Is that what that is? Couldn't tell..."

"You absolutely could! If you don't-"

"Can the two of you stop fighting long enough to- Ow, Drack, you're squishing me!"

"Peebee, if I wanted to squish you, you'd be squished."

"I swear, can anyone here act like an adult for five minutes?"

Despite the immaturity of it all, Sara giggled at the antics. That was, until someone pushed her to the head of the group. Recognizing Cora's hands on her shoulders, she had just enough time to hear her before the doors whooshed open.

"Pathfinder first. Lead the way, Sara."

Going with the order like she'd gone with everything that had been happening for months, she led the group out the door and into the shuttle loading area for the VIP section of the Convention Center. Sara found herself in a small receiving room flanked by benches for anyone in need of a wait for a shuttle, as well as a door at the end that likely took one to the main VIP area. The door was flanked by two miltia soldiers in full armor, one a Turian and the other an Asari, and standing between them, looking like he was waiting for their arrival-

"Kandros!"

The Turians name was past her lips in a burst of excitement she couldn't contain, and she hurried forward to offer a hand in their customary handshake. Kandros took it with a smile, and she noticed that he wasn't in his usual armor. Instead, he was wearing the typical jacket and pants she'd come to know as the go to outfit for Turian males. Which was amazing, because she didn't think she'd ever seen him outside of that armor... And she thought he looked rather nice...

"Pathfinder, good to see you." He welcomed, oblivious to her internal analysis. "Tann has been whining about your "tardiness", but knowing him that means you've arrived right on time. They're just about to get things started.

"Anything I should know?"

"Just the schedule as it was posted. The Initiative leaders, the Pathfinders and their teams, and the Colony heads will all be on stage. A few selected people will give a few speeches, and you'll finish that up. Then we'll be free to do what we actually came here for."

"Party?"

"Exactly. Most of the guests have arrived and are already set to start, but Tann is holding the refreshments hostage until he gets the big moment." Kandros explained, opening the door behind him.

Sara understood immediately. "Then let's get this started before we have a second rebellion on our hands."

She and her team followed him through the hall, a quiet undertone of chatting following them as the group behind her started their own conversations once more. Virtually alone with Kandros, she found herself quick to restart conversation with her friend, having missed him dearly while away on their latest voyage. Sure they'd been emailing, but it wasn't the same thing.

"I almost thought you wouldn't be here tonight, with all the security measures the new colonies would require." She said, keeping pace beside him.

"I almost wasn't. But things always turn out differently on the Nexus. I'm here officially and unnoficially."

Sara went blank faced.

"That... doesn't make much sense."

He sighed with an amused tone and shook his head. "No it doesn't. I'll explain once we've got the whole standing on stage thing finished."

"Where will you be?"

"I'm seated right next to you."

_Oh shit_. Her heart skipped for reasons she didn't quite grasp. She really liked being with Kandros. He was a very close friend, even moreso than some of her crew, which was particularly strange considering how little time she spent with him comparatively. Even though they regularly hung out when she had shore leave, including getting drinks and accompanying him for patrols around the compound and venting... Being right next to him in such a casual setting had her oddly on edge.

"We'll be right next to each other?" She squeeked, unable to stop herself. The ugly implications of the question hit her after, and she wished desperately she could take it back as he replied with what sounded like concern.

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"Of course not." She barked, thankful none of the others seemed to be listening in. Scrambling to explain herself, she found a realistic and honest explanation. "Unless you have a problem with commentary... It's the only thing that makes it possible for me to handle these things."

He visibly relaxed and let out a chuckle that made the butterflies in her stomach dance. "If you and I can rip the bosses right under their noses, this thing might just become bearable."

"Pathfinder!"

A familiar snap all but forced her face into a wince of dread. Looking ahead, she saw the dreaded Salarian of the hour standing in what looked to be the preparation area behind the stage, with a great deal of hustle going on around him as the various workers moved to get everything ready. Arms crossed and face set tight, the Director of the Initiative was somehow managing to look even more obnoxious than usual. Steeling herself, Sara forced her jaw into a neutral expression that bordered on pleasant as she approached in the lead. Before she could even get out a greeting, he cut her off as usual.

"Expected as it was, being late as you always are is _particularly_  offensive for this special occasion."

"At least it wasn't fourteen months this time." She quipped, drawing a collection of barely restrained chuckles from her present company. Tann only narrowed his dark eyes.

"Perhaps if you'd put as much effort into your responsibilities as cracking jokes, you'd have arrived with more time for us to exchange pleasantries. Right now, we must hurry and prepare. Everyone else is already in position. If you'll follow me..."

Striding as confidently as always, he led them up through the stage hand area and onto the still covered stage, where everyone was seated and facing the curtains. Beyond which, one could already hear the dull roar of hundreds of waiting guests. She saw the separate Pathfinders and their crews, and none of them looked particularly happy to be seated. Just about everyone was chatting or fiddling with an Omni-tool for distraction. No doubt they were like her, desperate for this stupid ceremony to be over and to join everyone in the actual party... But before that, they had to talk. She had to talk. To a room of hundreds. In a dress no less. Oh boy, was it getting hot and dizzy in here or was it just her? A ping in her omni-tool tool told her which specific seat was hers. One of the few in the front, right beside her fellow Pathfinders and all the other leaders. Hoping she didn't look as sick as she felt, she and her team took their assigned seats with some quiet murmuring. Her heart was hammering so hard she barely heard the one whisper directed to her.

"You've got this."

Eyes flicking backwards, she made contact with Vetra, who offered a warm smile as she took the seat right behind her. Smiling back as best she could, Sara took her seat next to Kandros, taking some comfort in the fact that two large Turians were at her side if she fainted.

"Now that _everyone_  is here, we can finally begin." Tann announced to the gathered leadership, quieting the murmur so that only the crowd could be heard beyond the curtains. "Thankfully, we're right to the minute we planned to start. Hopefully you're all aware of your chosen speech times and have composed something _uplifting_  for the evening. We only get to celebrate our second anniversary of arrival once. After this has concluded, you may all go your separate ways and mingle amongst the guests. Good luck." The Salarian leader concluded, taking his place at the very front and center of the stage behind a microphone laden podium bearing the Initiative logo.

"Motivating." Sara whispered to herself as he waved a gesture to one of the assistants, likely to lift the curtains.

"It's actually one of the more cheery speeches he's delivered." Kandros whispered to her, suddenly making her realize they were _just_  close enough to have a one on one conversation without anyone hearing. Or seeing, so long as they paid close attention to keeping their mouth movements subtle. Sara's fake grin suddenly became far more genuine and mischievous. Perhaps this ceremony wouldn't be so awful after all. So long as she could keep her cool through her speech at the end, this would still turn out to be one hell of a night to remember. Or so she told herself, as the curtains slid open to reveal the crowd.


	2. Speeches

Sara Ryder held her breath as the interspecies crowd of over a thousand stretched out in the collosal room before her. The faces of humans, Asari, Turians, Salarians, Anagara, and even Krogan all stared back at her. There was silence as the whole room waited in anticipation for Tann to begin his speech, with the whole of the room focused on the stage. People were seated at the few tables for dining in the front, standing on the presently powered down dance floor in the back, or even leaning on the railings on either side of the second and third floors. She doubted she'd ever seen so many eyes pointed her way.

"Citizens of Andromeda..." Tann began, opening his arms wide in a grand gesture to indicate those present and those in the furthest reaches of the cluster. "I'd like to begin by thanking you all for being here tonight. It's my highest honor to stand before you and initiate our ceremonies for the evening. And to start, I'd like to say that the theme of this evening is goals. The goals we set for this Initiative. For our outposts. And for ourselves. I've accomplished my goal-"

"I can now proudly say I'm the biggest asshole in _two_  whole galaxies!" Sara whispered out of the corner of her mouth, unable to stop herself from seizing on the opportunity to throw in the childish dig. To her delight, Kandros snickered with as subtle an expression as he could, mandibles twitching just enough for her to see from up close.

"At least he looks like he's reading off something. That means there's an end to this speech somewhere..." Kandros whispered back.

"How long does he usually go on?"

"Too long. But maybe the uprising taught him something."

"And if not?"

He chuckled quietly, making her smile a little harder than subtlety required. "Security is posted everywhere. We're covered."

"Speaking of which, you need to explain the whole "officially off duty" thing to me." She said, at this point only hearing Tann in the very corner of her mind. Based on the sea of bored faces looking back at her, everyone in the crowd was probably feeling the same.

"I will once we're done here. Kind of a long story. And we need our sentences brief to keep this conversation secret."

"Fair point." She conceded, unable to think of an argument. She was still incredibly curious though...

"And since I didn't say it when you came in, you look great tonight. Never seen you dressed up before."

Sara went blank faced and flushed beneath her blush. The simple compliment froze her like a deer in headlights, and she found every inch of her body refusing to cooperate for a few solid seconds. Finally reigning in her tongue, she managed a reply she hoped was acceptable.

"Um... thanks. You too. On both points."

He was silent a little longer than she wanted. Shit, had she just made this awkward? Did he think she didn't want the compliment? Why did her mouth get so stupid whenever he was involved!? She had to break the quiet...

"So, what's your speech about?"

"The usual." He replied without missing a beat, making her relax. "Thanking everyone for their hard work. How honored I am to be here. You?"

"Full honesty? I'm winging it."

He tilted his head to cast her an aside glance, eyes a little wider than usual. "What?"

"I mean I have an idea, sure, but there's no script. Dad always said if it's so long it has to be written, you're waisting people's time."

That seemed to satisfy him, and he gave the faintest hint of a nod in her direction. "Fair point. I'm not planning on dragging it on either. Can't wait to hit the bar..."

"And the dance floor?" She teased. To her incredible surprise, he only gave a small shrug and replied nonchalantly.

"I've been known to dabble."

"Wait, _what_?"

At that exact moment, Tann ended his speech and the audience started a round of customary applause, catching them both off guard. Sara hurried to catch up with a quick pattering of claps, praying to whatever God there was she hadn't missed anything important. Thankfully, it appeared Tann had just passed the podium to Addison, as she was standing and making her way to deliver her speech while Tann seated himself at the only empty chair on the front row. A chair she noted was as far away from her as possible. At least the feeling was mutual. Addison appeared as calm as could be in her simple black gown, and Sara couldn't help but reflect on their relationship. They certainly didn't like one another, but she couldn't help but wonder if that was more to due with getting off on the wrong foot than anything else. Or the fact that Addison was a politician. Take that out of the equation, and they might just be amicable...

"Thank you for that introduction, Director Tann. I'm honored to stand here tonight beside some of the people that have worked so hard to make this dream a reality. And I would also like to extend that honor to those who couldn't be here tonight, the hard workers on our fledgling colonies, and our brothers and sisters still yet to emerge from statsis..."

"Hopefully this will be over quick too. Superintendent Kesh is next, and I'm very curious as to what her speech will entail..." Kandros whispered to her, gesturing to the Krogan sitting very impatiently a few chairs down. She was dressed in a variation of her usual outfit that was patterned with black and white, but otherwise had no signs of being any kind of formal. She supposed that Drack hadn't just been joking about the no formal wear thing. Which made her wonder what their rules on speeches would be, seeing as Krogan didn't typically enjoy boring, frivolous ceremonies either. But then again, Kesh wasn't your typical Krogan.

"And I'd also like to extend my thanks to the dedicated efforts of our repopulation experts, thanks to whom our outposts are finally seeing the first natural rise in their populations."

Sara found her lips going tight at Addison's address, and a few snorts from the audience told her she wasn't alone in her amusement. "Isn't that just a really fancy way to thank everyone for getting down to baby making?"

Kandros seemed to share her amusement. "I'd say a simple thanks isn't enough. She should be getting medals cast for the brave sacrifices those colonists are making..."

Sara actually had to swallow a guffaw at the image. Kandros could be terribly funny when he wanted to, and it was one of the things that made him such a dear friend. Not everyone appreciated her tendency to joke so often. Except maybe Liam. And Drack, when he was in the mood. And it wasn't really something she'd expect from the head of the militia either, to be so fun and lighthearted. Maybe it was because they were about the same age, and hadn't exactly worked their way to their present positions. It was nice to share that with someone.

"Truly, the ultimate sacrifices to save the species." She whispered in reply, knowing full well how juvenile they were being but not really caring. Her busy schedule didn't leave nearly enough room for sex jokes, even with Gil present as often as he was.

" _Pathfinder, I'm quite curious as to the nature of your interaction with Militia Leader Kandros._ "

A familiar voice in her head made Sara clamp her mouth shut. Despite the passage of nine whole months with SAM living inside her mind, she often forgot that he was present _all_  the time. Including when she'd rather be alone. Keeping her jee closed tight, she murmured to herself in the way she'd learned to do when she only wanted SAM to hear. Since he had access to everything going on in her body, the vibration in her throat was all he needed to understand what she was saying.

"We're just having fun, SAM. Speeches like these are kind of boring."

" _I do understand the sentient need for activity and the distaste for long periods of stillness, but even considering your fondness for humor and informality, your present interaction is still puzzling to me_."

"Why?"

" _With increasing frequency, I notice your physical interactions with Mr. Kandros are marked by heart rate fluctuations, dilated pupils, and other signs of physical arousal. Your brain chemistry also indicates high levels chemicals that are commonly associated with sexual attraction in mammals-_ "

"Stopping you right there, SAM." Sara hissed, clenching her teeth harder than what was needed. Even though she knew no one else could physically hear her private channel, it was still mortifying to have these words said so clearly right next to the person in question. "Kandros is my friend. Best friend, probably. I'm _happy_  to be near him and get nervous because I don't want to jeopardize that friendship. End of story."

" _If you say so, Sara. I'll save my findings for a later time. It would seem you wish to be left alone for the time being?_ "

"For now. Keep it to observation. And please save the questions until after I'm buzzed, alright?"

" _Affirmative. I will refrain from direct questioning until your blood alcohol level is sufficiently elevated_." Sam assured, going silent and remaining a spectator of her senses. Great. That wasn't awkward or anything... SAM being there for private moments was still a snag in her acceptance of him within her life, as she had yet to rationalize the idea that she would never be truly alone again. At least he was considerate, pulling back when she requested and even shuttering his observation if she requested... But that always made her feel bad too. It was like she was leaving him alone, pushing him to the corner because she couldn't be bothered to lose privacy. They still had a long way to go.

"Hey, are you spacing off already?" Kandros whispered suddenly, switching her perspective from internal to the real people around her. Painfully aware that SAM was watching and making wild guesses on the nature of her intention, she decided to do her best to keep calm and steer the conversation out of anything sexual.

"Sorta. Just thinking about all the food we've been promised. I'm getting hungry..." She said, not really lying. There was definitely a bit of hunger stirring in her gut, but she was more snackish at this point than anything else.

"Ah. Same here. But I'm way more interested in the booze. Ethanol is the one thing we all can share, and I'm excited to try some alien booze."

Quite surprised by the revelation, Sara couldn't help but do a double check. "We can share alcohol?"

"Sure. Ethanol is non-chiral. No need to worry about the dextro or levo issue, except for taste. Some of the sugars may be a little off, but otherwise it's safe. They always overemphasize the whole DNA issue anyway. Allergic reactions are way rarer than they lead you to believe..."

Sara couldn't believe it. She wasn't certainly happy to hear it though. Alien food was a secret curiosity of hers, and she'd had so few opportunities to try it without drawing attention to herself. Or risking some serious stomach pains. If Turian booze opened up as an avenue for her, then she and Vetra would also have way more fun on long flights.

"I'm gonna demand you show me some of the best Turians wines then. For scientific purposes."

Once more, their chat was interrupted by a round of applause as the speech concluded, and Sara joined in by giving a few polite claps. Kesh was next, so she decided to stay quiet for this one. Primarily because she was one of the few leaders she really *liked*, even before becoming Godmother to one of her many soon to hatch eggs. She still remembered their first meeting, when she had been one of the few to stand by her, even without really knowing her. Drack had raised a very kind granddaughter, no doubt.

Taking her place behind a podium that suddenly looked too small, Kesh wasted no time getting started. "Straight to the point, we all know Krogan aren't much for speeches. So I'm going to keep this short so we can all get to the booze we came here for."

Several Krogan in the crowd let out a cheer, and Sara heard Drack let out a belt of his unmistakable laughter from his seat.

"But we've all accomplished a lot, and that's worth talking about. We've gone from starving on a barely functional space port with a divided people to a network of thriving colonies and allies. My people and the Nexus stand united once more, and we've welcomed new friends into the fold as well. Everyone here has worked hard, and we've earned this night."

"I can _feel_  the pride eminating off Drack right now." Sara said, only half kidding. Kandros nodded in agreement, only having met Drack in passing but still well aware of the Krogans love for his granddaughter.

"So with that, I'll pass it to the Turian that keeps us all sleeping sound at night."

Sara applauded with everyone else at the incredibly succinct speech, then felt a pang of sympathy as Kandros stood to deliver his. As confident and unbothered as the Turian looked facing the crowd, she couldn't help but imagine herself in his place.

"Good luck." She said on a whim, even when he was too far away to hear it. Squeezing her hands together, she waited with bated breath on his behalf, hoping he would do well. Not that she doubted he would, obviously, she just wanted the best for him. Like Kesh, he'd been there from the beginning, encouraging her and offering himself as an ally when few people believed in her. They'd both been through a lot, and had even more thrust upon them, so it just seemed natural to her that she'd feel a special bond with him. He took his place behind the podium and pulled up his omni-tool, bringing up what she assumed to be notes for his speech.

"Thank you for the kind introduction, superintendent. I plan on keeping my remarks brief, so we can get to the real woman of honor for the evening." He said, giving a subtle glance back to her with a tender smile. Freezing with what she hoped wasn't an idiotic fake grin on her face, she barely registered the quick round of agreeing applause from the audience as a whirlwind raged through her at the comment. It was a beautiful compliment, dedicated to her in his own speech, and highlighted by a single terrifying fact.

_Oh shit. I'm next. The grand finale. Right. Shit._

"As for me, you all know how I came to be where I am. After helping my team out of a tight situation on a desolate moon, my fellow soldiers honored me with the title of leader, and from our group efforts the militia as we know it today was born."

Sara found herself leaning in for every word. Perhaps it was the natural flanging of his voice that all Turians had, but his speech was very pleasant to listen to. And he carried himself with such confidence, while still appearing so at ease and easy to talk to. She could listen to him talk like this for hours. At the very least she hoped she could do half as good.

"For a long while, I know our efforts felt unrewarded. But as I send out squads to our colonies and plan the ever expanding defense of our growing network, I know that all our hard work is finally starting to pay off. Truly, I've never been so happy to be so busy."

Was it just the stage lights, or was he looking rather... handsome? She'd always thought Turians were pretty, with their colorful eyes and sharp faces, but the thought had never crossed her mind in regards to Tiran. At least, she didn't think it had. But standing in his best suit, with the lights shining on his natural armor, and his pose being so naturally commanding... There was no argument he cut a tight figure. Platonically, of course.

"I'd like to focus my time here on saying thanks. To my brothers and sisters fighting on the front lines. To the colonists pushing back the frontier. To our new allies that have welcomed us with open arms. And to the team of Pathfinders working to find us the worlds our children will call home. Our work is far from finished, but we've already proven we can do the impossible."

How was she supposed to follow this? His tone alone was something she could never mimic... Oddly enough though, she really didn't mind. Just listening to him was so... nice.

"Now I'll turn it over to the woman that made all this possible. Sara Ryder, the Pathfinder that found the way for us all."

Sara wasn't prepared for the eruption of applause that greeted the comment, or the way Tiran turned and offered a hand to beckon her to the stage, or how her crew lit up behind her, or how her legs seemed to lock before she forced them beneath her. Everything moved far slower than reality as she moved to the podium, her external facade holding in a trance as she approached with a smile that hid a whirlwind of nervousness in her gut. People in the audience we're standing to cheer, and she saw the flashes of hollos being taken from countless omni-tools in the crowd. Standing beside Kandros and painfully aware of just how small she was, she managed a wave to the crowd. The Turian gave her a reassuring shoulder pat like the first time they'd met, and stepped back to his seat with one last whisper.

"You don't need luck. Just bring it home."

The reassurance helped to quell her internal storm, and she took her place behind the podium with a deep breath. Standing tall in her finest outfit, she settled her hands on the flat edges before her, looking down the sea of faces like she'd looked down every obstacle thus far. Finding her voice, she spoke into the microphone calmly and confidently.

"Thank you, Kandros. I'm honored to be here tonight, and to have such a warm welcome from everyone present." She began, trying to channel some aspect of her father but faltering as the natural urge to joke grabbed the reins. "But, like you all, I could really use a drink right about now. So let's wrap this up, huh?"

Before she could even feel a pang of regret at the stupid comment, the audience broke out into a comfortable bout of laughter that assured her it had been a good move. Regaining her serious composure, she let the silence return.

"When I came to Andromeda, I came following humanities first Pathfinder, Alec Ryder. My father. We had lost my mother before departure. Within hours of arrival, I lost him too. Nearly lost my brother. And my people lost their golden world. Andromeda seemed to do nothing but take..."

As if her father's spirit was guiding her, she let the tone sit, following his natural sense of persuasion as she shifted into the tonal adjustment.

"But then I found the Nexus, and a people that refused to stop fighting for survival. I found a ship, and a crew to help me fly her. I found worlds and the technology to change them into homes. And I found allies that helped us find a way to be rid of the ones taking everything for themselves. Every day, this new galaxy offers something new to find. Friends, adventures, mysteries... I can't imagine what I'll find next."

Legs getting wobbly and her reserve running low, she brought her message to what she prayed was a satisfying end.

"So with the help of everyone present, I hope we'll keep on finding things. This is only our second year. I can't wait to see what the next will bring, thank you."

The eruption of applause that followed her back to her seat kept her going until she finally took the weight of her legs and settled back, giving a little wave as she did so into the still cheering crowd. Trying to keep her heart from hammering it's way out of her chest, she settled back as Tann stood again and quickly took the podium once more. She tried not to smirk as the clapping quickly died down at his presence.

"This concludes our opening ceremony. Full refreshments will now be available in the dining halls, and dinner will be served according to the schedule. Please enjoy yourselves." He said, fast even for a Salarian. At yet another wave of his hand, the curtains slid shut once more, and the dull roar of audience conversation started up again. Sara let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, slumping in her chair as the important figures on the stage got up to chat once again. Her crew immediately gathered by her side, and she was surrounded by the support she'd come to rely on when a few directed their praise to her.

"Ryder, great speech! Never knew you were such an orator!" Suvi praised, pulling her up to a standing position so they could be closer to eye level. As close as one could be with someone short as Suvi, anyway...

"Seriously, I'm feeling all motivated! Where were those speeches when we were going up against the Archon?" Gil teased, giving her a quick pat on the arm.

"Solid work, knew you could do it." Cora praised, taking Suvi's spot in front of her as the science officer headed off to mingle. Sara took the praise highly, knowing that Cora was the one who would have stood where she was if things had played out differently.

"Beautifully spoken. A truly succinct and inspiring speech." Jaal said, moving along the line of cewmates that seemed to be taking turn giving compliments before heading off to join the party. She let herself get lost in the happiness of being surrounded by such good company until a voice she didn't know she'd been waiting for spoke up.

"Well said, Pathfinder. And without a single note to guide you. It seems you're full of surprises."

Turning to see Kandros, she gave a quick goodbye to her dispersing crewmates before approaching her friend once more.

"You too! I never knew you could talk like that. Maybe you've got a backup career as a politician in the bag?"

No longer restrained by the need for silence, Kandros laughed out loud at the tease, giving his head a shake and tilting it so he looked straight down at her.

"Oh, how dare you. I think I'll need a round just to get that image out of my head."

"Well, we're finally free. Wanna hit the bar?"

"The VIP bar will have a much shorter line. And I know a shortcut through the security tunnels to avoid the crowd. Wanna come with?"

Looking back to make sure her crew was taken care of, she saw the last of them dissapearing down into the exits to join the party. Save for Vetra, who appeared to be chatting with Drack and Kesh about something she couldn't overhear. Her glance caught the Turians eye, and before she could even indicate her request she only winked and gave a permissive wave of her hand. Unsure of what to read from the gesture beyond taking it as a cue to go ahead, she turned back to Kandros and replied.

"I'd love to."


	3. Taste Test

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got a new phone and the new keyboard is taking time to adapt. So have this while I learn! Some notes, I'm a believer that most humans can eat Turian food, as opposing chirality should just make something useless to digest, not dangerous. But that's just me.

Tiran Kandros led Sara to the very back of the stage area and to a door labeled with a small maintenance sign. The entire area was vacant, save for a single human guard leaning against the wall and fiddling on his omni-tool. His relaxed and bored posture changed the moment he saw Tiran, and the poor man scrambled to pull his weapon into proper position while throwing up a hasty salute.

"Uh, Kandros! Sir! My apologies for being unfocused. It won't happen again-"

"Relax, Gibson." Tiran assured, holding up his hands to encourage the panicked man to stand down and relax. "I know it's a boring post. Just make sure you're awake enough to ensure no one who's not supposed to be here gets through."

"Thank you, sir." Gibson dropped his salute and looked like he'd just had a huge weight lifted from his shoulders. That weight immediately returned when he looked to Sara and awed recognition dawned on his face. "And uh... Pathfinder?"

"I'm escorting the Pathfinder to ensure there's no hassle on her way to the bar." Tiran explained, putting a hand on Sara's shoulder as he explained. For reasons she failed to understand, the contact made her rather happy. "We'll be taking the private security routes with my clearance. Make sure we aren't followed."

"Yes sir!" Gibson replied with a much more relaxed salute, stepping to the side and opening the door for them. Kandros entered with Ryder at his side, pausing in his tracks one final time to address his soldier with a final remark.

"And remember, I assigned Hills to relieve you at dinner time. If she fails to show, you inform me. Everyone is getting some time off tonight."

Sara smiled softly at the small show of solid leadership. Knowing that Kandros cared for his soldiers made her that much more proud to be his friend. So many Turians seemed to favor a more militant approach, so his recognition of the need for down time was something she greatly admired. But as they started down the dim but easily visible tunnels, another thing he'd said stuck out more prominently in her mind.

"You're _escorting_  me?"

"Militia jargon. I'm just a friend passing on my jobs few benefits." He explained, taking a bit of a lead through the halls as they suddenly began to turn and divide at rather irregular intervals.

"Right. Hopefully I'll be able to return the favor."

"You can do that by promising we'll keep the work talk to a minimum tonight. I need the time off."

"You mean you _don't_  want to hear about all my new Pathfinder adventures?" She teased, lifting her dress as they came to a set of stairs marked with directions for maintenance crews. He took the first flight easily with his long legs, slowing only to let her catch up and reply to the comment face to face.

"Okay. No talk about _my_  work. Yours is actually interesting."

"I'd think whatever circumstances led to you being on and off duty at the same time would be pretty interesting." She replied, internally groaning as they ascended another flight of stairs.

"Fine then. One question about my work. Then you're done."

"Fair enough." She panted, starting to get a little out of breath as they reached the top. Seeing another hallway that looked like all the others, complete with offshoots and signs she couldn't decipher, she was compelled to inquire. "Are we almost there? Why are there so many twists and turns?"

"Maintenance tunnels are meant to reach every critical system out of public view. That sometimes requires a little contorting." Kandros explained, looking a little amused by her befuddlement. "Militia uses them for about the same reason. If something goes wrong, we can get on site fast and without detection. And yes, we're almost there." Sara nodded and considered his words, having never thought about the possibility of using something designed for engineers as a military edge. It was actually quite clever though, and made good sense. Especially if you knew the map like Kandros seemed to. You could easily get behind your enemy before they even knew what happened, and retreat into a labrynth they'd never be able to get out of.

A shining bright _Exit_  sign stopped her thought process and shifted all her concentration back to the booze that she'd soon be getting. Kandros seemed to be in the same boat, because he didn't pause in between opening his omni-tool and issuing the order for the door to open. They exited past another on duty gaurd, who only greeted them with an alert salute before returning to his position. Sara was a little impatient to be in the maintenance room, so she followed her friends lead out the last exit and back into the main area.

She emerged onto the fourth floor, where a great railing formed the interior perimeter of the whole area so anyone could look down on the first floor at any given time. Eager to see the view, Sara went over to the edge and looked, a little taken aback by just how far away the ground was. Hundreds of people were moving about on the floor she'd just been on, and though she couldn't see the stage from her vantage point, the dance floor she'd seen from it was presently on and hosting the first few dancers for the evening on its glowing surface. From her spot, she could even see some of the other two floors beneath them, and others leaning over and sightseeing like she was. All over, people were dancing, eating, mingling, and enjoying themselves in a pleasant haze of dim mood lighting and music. It was a beautiful sight.

"Nice view from up top, huh?" Kandros asked, leaning in beside her to look over the railing. "Can't remember the last time I saw this much excitement in one room. Not even the Arks spurred this much celebration."

"It sure looks like the start of a serious party."

"Which we need to get it on. Let's hit that bar." Kandros said, pulling away from the railing and heading off down the path to a neon lit doorway. Sara immediately figured she was looking at the opening to the VIP bar, and was a little impressed by the presence of a sign. They really had gone all out with this place. The twisting neon lights swirled into an Asari script her translator roughly marked as "Brightest Star", but she paid far less attention to that than she did the interior. The low light bar was pulsing with blue and purple lights in moderate darkness, setting a very relaxed mood amongst the decor architecture and ample tables encircled by cushions. She almost whistled in amazement. This was the swankiest joint she'd seen since the milky way. And even better, at the center of it all, a massive semicircle bar with shelves lined top to bottom with every kind of booze she could and couldn't imagine.

"I'll grab us a table. You get us two glasses of your favorite Turian drink." She said a little impatiently, eager for a seat and to start the evening after walking so far in heels. Kandros seemed equally eager, offering no resistance as he made his way to the bar.

"Any flavor requests?"

"The choice is all yours." She reminded, heading for a comfy spot in the corner where they'd be a little hidden from disturbances.

"All right. But whatever I get, you finish. I'm not getting wasted on your rejects."

Sara laughed and snagged the table of her choice, sitting down on the couch beside it and discovering, to her further delight, the furniture was adjustable via her omni-tool. Typing in the codes, she converted the seat to a comfortable lounge position with her drinking hand in easy reach of the tables surface, letting her achieve a perfect drink to chill ratio. Never in her life had she been given access to anything VIP before, and she was loving the privileges.

"Comfortable, Sara?"

She looked up to see Kandros standing with two glasses filled with a drink of a lovely purple hue. He took the seat beside her and took a far more formal pose before setting the other glass down in easy reach for her. Far more focused on the beverage, she reached for the cup and pulled it in to examine. The purple fluid inside swirled with the same consistency of Earth alcohol, but the light seemed to reflect off it with a bit more of a blueish sheen than any earth drink would have.

"What is this?" She asked, bringing the brim to her nose so she could get a whiff. A surprisingly sweet smell greeted her, but with the smallest hint of a kick.

"It's called "Semitas Victorium." It's an old Turian tongue for "The Path to Victory" or something like that. I just call it Victory." He said, tilting his cup back to pour a sip into his beak. "What do you think?"

Ignoring a hint of doubt, she pulled the glass to her lips and tilted it just enough to bring it to the edge of her mouth for a taste. A sweet, fruity flavor that likened more to fruit punch greeted her, and she took that as a good sign to take a full sip. The taste was very sweet, almost overwhelmingly so, and she only found a bit of a punch when she swallowed. Letting the flavor sit on her tongue, she smacked her lips to test the after taste, finding the alcohol to be more detectable now that she'd swallowed.

"Well?"

"Sweet. Very sweet. Almost can't tell it's alcoholic." She noted, a little amused by how much anticipation was easily readable on his face. It was also very sweet that he looked so invested in her enjoyment. "But I like that."

"Really sweet, huh? It's just got a little bit of that for me." He said, taking another drink and thinking over the flavor to compare. "Just enough sweetness to make it a good starter for the party. At least until you're buzzed enough for the strong stuff."

"Good strategy. Diving into the hard stuff always leaves me a little..." Flashes of bad dancing in a seedy Kadara bar and the worst headache of her life flashed through her head. "Unpredictable."

"I've got plenty of experience controlling my alcohol intake. The server will bring us the next round when we finished. It'll be another favorite of mine, Exemplemus, something just a little bit stronger but flavored with a copycat earth flavor. A fruit flavor, I think... Can't recall the name."

"We'll, you're going good so far." She said, taking another drink and taking more time to savor the beverage on her tongue. Being so gentle, there was no fear of burn as she took note of the fruity but... alien flavor. There was something to it she just couldn't place. Which made sense, seeing as how the fruit had come from another evolutionary tree. Hehe, tree. Fruit. Shame she hadn't said that out loud. But she supposed there's be plenty of time for dumb jokes once they were sufficiently impaired. "But can I hear that work story now?"

"Right, so..." He took a particularly large gulp, perhaps for a bit of liquid courage or patience. "I've got some friends in the Militia that are thoroughly convinced I'm working too hard. They've been trying to get me to take a night off for months. Kept putting it off with the new outposts taking up so much of my time. Don't get me wrong, I'm thrilled that they're growing so fast and we're waking people up to fill them, but that many people draws in some bad attention. So I've been buffing up patrols and managing strike teams in key areas to keep them safe. And coordinating the additional security we've been waking up as well."

"Ouch. Sounds overwhelming."

"No harder than stopping the Archon or finding an artificial golden world." He said with a wink, making her blush and wave a dismissive hand at the only somewhat teasing compliment. "Still, I admit I've been a little lacking in the sleep department. So I agreed that I'd be off tonight, but only on record. Unnoficially, I'd still be here to manage everyone and make sure nothing went wrong. Full armor and everything ready to go. Then, I get a call from Tann..."

Sara cringed, knowing those words never spelled good news for anyone. "Uh oh."

"He wants me here too, but on the record. Further complicating things, he wants me to lay off work while I'm here for the night. Show our allies that our military is "laid back" and "approachable", and "capable of relaxing on the job", whatever that means."

"What are you going to do?"

"I think being on the clock and taking some time off with my best friend is a solid evening plan. With my omni-tool open for messages, and a few check ins, just in case..."

"So... a little of both." She concluded, finishing off the rest of her cup with a gulp. Nice as the taste was, she was eager to try other alcoholic drinks, and to get a good buzz going. Kandros matched her speed and took a final swig to empty his own glass before giving a small signal to a nearby human waitress. Sara couldn't help but look a little closely as he drank. Something about the beak had always been so fascinating to her, how it looked so strong and sharp, yet could bend to form words and expressions so easily. However, judging by how drinking for Turians seemed to involve just tilting the cup and pouring right into their mouth, it probably wasn't bendy enough to form a seal around a cups edge. Once she had more alcohol, she'd probably think over what else that implied.

"Keeps everyone happy. Mostly me. And you, I hope." He said once he'd finished, laying his empty glass next to her. Feeling more funny feelings at his consistent efforts to please her, she focused back to the stories she'd been eager to tell.

"Very. I don't get to see you too often these days. Long distance scouting keeps us away for weeks at a time." She said, surprised to see the waitress was already returning with two new glasses. VIP service seemed to apply to everything up here. Letting the glasses be laid on the table, she gave a thanks before taking one and looking over the contents. It was a golden yellow with a sheen that looked somewhat orange, but when she gave it a whiff she was greeted with a lovely and almost forgotten scent.

"Based on that expression, I'd say you're liking it so far?" Kandros asked, politely holding his glass until she'd started hers.

"It's pineapple! I love pineapple. Haven't even had a synthetic taste in ages." She explained, leaning in to take her first sip. The tropical tang of the sweet but acidic fruit washed over her like a wave of nostalgia, along with the standard kick of alcohol to follow it. "Oh, that's so good. Much more noticeable kick too. I'll go a little slower on this one." Taking a swiped again and letting the liquid stir in her glass, she thought back to what she'd been discussing. It came to her quickly, as she'd been waiting a long time to unload all her new stories. "But as I was saying, it's all been resource runs to supply the outposts we already have. The Meridian map showed us some more vaults out there, but they're too far out to justify the travel time for a potential disappointment. Or yet another bad first contact."

"Your emails mentioned some success. Mostly metals and ore locations, right?"

"All the good stuff. Even some Eezo on a little moon out at the edge of the cluster. Had to fight off a few nasty scavengers for the spot, but it was a pretty quick fight. Have you ever seen a Krogan do a diving charge in minimal gravity, using his jump jet as a miniature rocket booster? There's not much left to fight afterwards."

They both had a great laugh at the image, even though Sara's thoughts during the actual event had mostly consisted of desperately trying to think of what she'd tell Kesh if her grandfather died after turning himself into a living rocket.

"Just about what I'd expect from you, Sara. The emails never do your stories justice. But I do remember you saying that you wouldn't make it to this party until just a few days ago. What happened? How's a Pathfinder clear their schedule?"

"Had Kallo push the poor Tempest to her limits." Sara replied, sipping her beverage and loving the long forgotten flavor.

"Still, you made it. And arrived with enough time to get dressed up. Where's that outfit from, anyway?"

She smiled in genuine anticipation, having waited so long for someone to provide her a segway into that conversation.

"Well, I've got quite a story actually."

Taking a swig of her drink and letting the alcohol sit on her tongue for a moment before she continued.

"So we got in with just three days to spare, which was a lot more than we were expecting, but still. Hardly enough time to get a schedule, rehearse, and make sure I've got a nice outfit. But what do I see on my terminal the night after arrival? Four separate emails from our newly thawed out fashion designers."

Kandros stopped mid sip in bewilderment. Having expected such a reaction, Sara waved her hand and offered a quick explanation.

"Yeah. I know. Turns out we have those. They were woken up to design new clothing for the different species of colonists to handle the different weather extremes. There's an asari, a human, a salarian and a turian. Technically I guess they're more like clothing scientists, but... Their emails were very passionate..."

"But there was no krogan designer?" Kandros asked, his tone giving away that he was holding back a snicker. Sara couldn't help but giggle at the idea of a hulking warrior fussing over a model and demanding better subjects for inspiration.

"No, but these guys fought over me like one. All of them wanted to design the first real gown the human pathfinder would wear in Helius. The offers I got and the sketches they sent... I almost wished I'd arrived late. Ugh..."

"Based on the outfit, I'm assuming this ends peacefully?" Kandros said, mandibles flared in what she'd learned was a gesture of relaxed amusement.

"Told em there was one solution. Either they all work together, or I go to the party in a hoodie."

Kandros laughed at the suggestion. "And they all lived to show for it?"

"They got it done in record time.'

"Really?"

"Yup. Everyone contributed something. Got Turian fabric, Asari fitting, Salarian smart textiles, all built around a traditional human mermaid design."

Shaking his head and holding up a hand for her to pause, he tapped the small area beside his unseen ears to indicate a problem. "My translator lost that. Mermaid?"

"It's um..." She took a quick drink to give her time to think. "It's an old earth myth. Humans that supposedly lived in the sea, and from the waist down they were fish. So... the dress is kinda shaped like them. Hence the name."

For what felt like the longest time, Kandros only stared, making things so quiet between them she could hear the music pulsing on the ground floor. "I see. I think."

"Your people don't have any weird myths like that?"

"Oh, we do. Just don't name any clothes after them... My sister knew those legends a lot better than I did though. Always used them to inspire her work."

"How so?"

He sighed and put down his empty beverage. "If we're going to discuss family, I'm going to need a stonger drink. And we're gonna want something solid to go with it."

Kandros waived down their waiter and typed something into his omni-tool, and before she even knew it their old drinks were gone and replaced by two masculine bottles and a tray of bite sized... something. Without hesitation, Kandros grabbed one and held it up to show her. She noted that the general shape reminded her of most toothpick skewered snacks at home, save for a color that was more greenish blue than appetizing reds and pinks.

"A popular appetizer back home. Just some spiced meat cuts skewered with a dry wheat stick. Military cultures don't really do fancy foods." He explained, popping the snack into his mouth. For reasons she couldn't understand, she found herself watching very closely as he ate, her eyes lingering on the sharp flashes of teeth that barely seemed to chew before he finally swallowed. "And don't worry, the tissues are safe for humans. No nutritional value of course, but it won't cause any problems."

" _He is correct, Sara._ " Sam assured in her ear. " _And should any problems arise, I will be more than capable of warding off potential discomfort or subduing an immune response. You have nothing to fear_."

Taking a skewer into her fingers, Sara pulled it up to her face, trying not to look as put off as she was by the color. "No nutritional value, huh? Well, gotta do what I can to maintain this figure..."

Closing her eyes and throwing caution to the wind, she took a bite.


	4. Informal Chats

Despite every evolutionary caution she had, Sara took the full bite of the offered appetizer and began to chew with enthusiasm, her instincts telling her to expect the nausea inducing taste of rot due to the blueish color.

However, her tastebuds reacted with pleasant surprise when the familiar tang of salt filled her mouth, followed by what could only be described as a rather savory flavor that harkened back to preserved earth meat. Chewing with far less distrust, she noted with satisfaction the crunch of the wheat skewer and how it went nicely with the softer texture of the meat.

"Huh. Salty and tangy. Not bad."

"And the drink?"

Finishing her last bite, Sara took her bottle and adjusted her seat to let her sit a little straighter, bringing it to her lips and taking a decent sized gulp.

The unexpected burn of a very high alcohol content hit the back of her throat and sent a wash of tears to her eyes, making her sputter and cough as she forced down the mouthful.

"Ack! Strong!"

Kandros laughed and made a point of taking a gulp without the slightest bit of trouble. "I told you it would be. Don't tell me our great pathfinder is secretly a light weight..."

Forcing back her tears to save her mascara, Sara coughed a few more times than she would have liked, then fixed the smug Turian with a mock glare.

"No, ack... No chance you jerk. Just wasnt, ahem, expecting that."

"It's Horosk. Good for getting a party really going."

Regaining herself, Sara took the bottle again and made her one show of downing a gulp without hesitation, keeping her eyes on Kandros the entire time. To her great enjoyment, a clear expression of impressed surprise lit up his face. Putting the bottle down, she smacked her lips to test what remained of the flavor.

"Not bad, just really strong. Goes well with the food. And if it gets you going..."

"Ugh, right, family..." Kandros groaned, drinking again as if to cleanse the thought from his mind. "Why don't we talk about something cheerful? Like the uprising?"

"That bad?"

"Let's start with your family. I barely know your brother. He's your... twin, right? Is that the word?" Kandros asked, slowing down on the word in question and letting it hang on his beak. Despite being a little distracted by the pronunciation, she was able to catch his question and be quite surprised by it.

"Yeah. Do Turians not have twins?"

He shook his head. "Never heard of it happening."

"That's so weird..." She mused, realizing that the alcohol was starting to hit and take away her formal graces. Deciding to just let it ride when he showed no sign of offense, she watched him shrug in reply.

"No weirder than having twins is to me."

"Right..." She said, taking her chin in her fingers and letting her inebriated mind wander. Self aware enough to real herself in if needed, she decided to let the ethanol in her bloodstream help her relax and speak honestly with her friend. "I always forget how much the little things differ to aliens... Like having five fingers to three, or lifespans or... how _tall_ you guys are."

Kandros blinked and put his bottle down mid sip. "You always forget how tall I am?"

Sara realized that needed far better wording. "I don't _f_ _orget_  I just never realize how universal it is until I'm near a whole bunch of Turians. It always makes me feel really short..." That seemed to clear it up, as he nodded understandingly.

"I guess I feel the same way about you. You have such a commanding presence, and then I see you in person and I'm the one looking down. The contrast is almost adorable."

That particular word choice sent a lightning bolt between them that made the air at the table crackle with awkwardness. Kandros all but dropped his bottle as he threw up his hands in defense and tried to explain.

"And I mean _just_  the contrast! Not you, Sara, _you're_  not adorable. I uh, that is to say, you aren't unappealing I just don't mean to insult your impressive accomplishments-"

"Ryder! Hey, Ryder!"

Both mortified friends turned to the sound of their unknowing savior. At the entrance to the bar, Sidera Nyx stood gleeful and waving for but a moment until she bounded over to them. Clad in a glittering outfit that resembled Vetra's, save for far more covered skin, the teen was the picture of sparkling enthusiasm. Even her face paint was enhanced with additional markings that glittered in the low light. Had it not been for her frozen state, Sara would have welcomed her and offered to order a non-alcoholic drink. Thankfully, Sid was oblivious to the mood and just started talking.

"I've been looking all over for you! Vetra said you'd probably be up here, so she got me VIP access so I could hang out with you and everyone else on the crew! I'm so glad you're back on shore leave! I have so much to tell you about what's been happening on the Nexus!" She paused, probably for breath, and happened to notice Kandros for the first time. Eyes lighting up even more, she leaned down so close that her mandibles almost snagged in Sara's hair and whispered.

"Oh, sorry Sara! Vetra didn't tell me you were on a date!"

The great Pathfinder felt her heart stop and used the motivation to find her voice.

"I'm not-"

"Don't worry! I won't tell anyone!" Sid promised in a giddy whisper. Throwing a glance back to the hapless militia captain, she giggled out a compliment. "And he's soooo handsome! Good job!"

With that, their awkward savior hurried off with a wave and another giggle, leaving Sara staring into the void of internal confusion. "Send me a message when you're free! Then we can catch up!"

Poor Sara Ryder was a frozen statue of internal conflict, her mind wrestling with the many points the unknowing teenager had brought to life and how to deal with them. She'd said they were dating. That Kandros was handsome. That she had done a good job getting someone so handsome. And who would know better than another Turian? But what was she supposed to do with this information? She was way too drunk for this already... or perhaps, still to sober?

"Nyx's sister?"

Kandros brought her back with a simple question, and it was all she could do to just squeak out a reply and a nod. "Yup."

"Seen her around. Nice kid. Great timing."

Like magic, the acknowledgment of the awkwardness did a great deal to quell it. Sara sputtered into a laugh that he soon joined, and in moments they were out and howling like they'd just been given the punch line to end them all. Sara's ribs were aching and she was holding back tears by the time they came down and petered out to breathless chuckling.

"Let's ah... Let's leave that little sidestep behind us. I think I'm ready to talk about my sister now." Kandros said, regaining himself with some throat clearing.

"I'd like that." Sara replied, settling back into her seat to find it far more comfortable than before. The turian did the same and took a casual drink, tapping his gloved talons on the table as he began.

"Apexia. She was named after an old warrior legend. Mom and dad were determined to get a soldier on the first try." He said, looking off as if seeing the story play out in his mind. Sara was enraptured instantly, but found her eyes wandering to his tapping talon. Something about the curve and the clear strength she could see made her feel oddly enraptured... "I guess they knew early on she wasn't going to work out, because I came along. Poor girl was an artist from the start. I can still see dad swapping out her paints with pistols..."

A sharp bit of sympathy pierced her heart at the thought. A poor little girl, just desperate to do what she wanted, and a little boy watching it all and internalizing so much... Just the thought of a little Kandros having to watch it all and grow up with the pressure made her grieve. She'd never wanted to hug him more than she did at that moment. Oddly enough, it just occured to her that she had indeed wanted to hug him before.

"Once she got back from boot camp as early as was allowed... That's when they shifted focus to me entirely. She was left to her own devices after that. I think that was the happiest she'd ever been, and I hate to admit it..." He paused and took another drink, not seeing how Sara locked her eyes on his mouth and watched with intensity she couldn't understand or control. Flashes of sharp, white teeth made her blot out everything but the man in front of her. A quick gulp of his drink sent a single drop onto the bottom edge of his beak, and he darted out the tip of his blue tongue to catch it, making her gulp as she felt an electric burst synchronized to the sight. The severity of the conversation helped her renew her focus. "I hated her for a bit after that. There was suddenly so much pressure on me, and she was completely free of it all. I blamed her for it. Eventually I realized it was my parents, but by then... there really wasn't much of a relationship to salvage."

"I know what that feels like." She said unexpectedly, blurting it out once she felt him touch a nerve she didn't like to admit was there. "My brother... When I became Pathfinder, I was so mad it was me. If Scott had been there, if that stupid accident hadn't happened... Maybe it wouldn't have fallen to me. I know logically it wasn't his fault, but on the inside I was... bitter."

There was a heavy but not tense silence between them as their confessions hung on the air between them. Nothing but the sound of the music's dim pulsing broke their quiet until Kandros let out the tiniest wry laugh and swished the contents of the bottle. "Strange how our parents can come between us without realizing it, huh?"

Sara smiled at the honesty and took a quick drink, turning the mood back to positivity as she replied. "My dad had the opposite effect in the long run. We've never been closer... Only reason we're not together tonight is because he's making a move on my second in command."

"And how's that going to go?"

"If he dances like a Ryder? She may say yes out of pity."

"So taming planets is doable for you, but not cutting a rug?" Kandros teased, resuming his snacking which encouraged her to do the same. Mouth full, she only shrugged helplessly, almost drunk enough to believe that maybe her dancing had improved with her leadership skills. "It's not too difficult at a place like this. Just some well timed limb flailing."

Sara giggled and took on more of the increasingly diminishing appatizers. "I've never actually seen a Turian dance..."

"You've just never been to a party with enough alcohol."

No longer sober enough to be careful, she took a particularly large gulp to almost finish off her bottle and ask a question she didn't know she'd had.

"Does this party have enough alcohol?"

"Are you asking me to dance, Sara?" He replied, looking so surprised she was certain she'd screwed up. Shit. She was took drunk, and she wasn't even that drunk. What had she been thinking? That wasn't something you asked someone who was clearly just a friend...

"Just to be on the dance floor at the same time. Is that too weird?" She clarified, desperate to keep things from getting awkward again. Why did things keep getting awkward tonight? Was it the alcohol? Did their drunk personalities just not mesh? To her relief, he smiled and replied with obvious satisfaction.

"Not at all. I'd like that, actually. Get a chance to see Ryder style dancing up close-"

And to her disappointment, his omni-tool beeped with urgency. Looking just as upset as she was, he answered with a formal sounding clip.

"Go ahead."

"Sir, it's T'sseria. Some idiot biotic pregamed and is already falling all over himself on the floor beneath you. Requesting your clearance to the maintenance tunnels so I can get him out of here before he accidentally launches a black hole into the buffet..." An asari voice explained, the message carrying just the faintest hint of background noise that suggested the chaos she was speaking of.

Sighing to himself, Kandros answered. "I'm close, T'sseria. I'll just come down in person and offer an assist." Immediately after closing his omni-tool, he looked to her with sincerity.

"I'm sorry-"

Cutting him off, she refused to take the unneeded apology. It wasn't his fault somebody was acting like an idiot. "No, I understand. Duty calls."

"As soon as I'm done, I'll take you up on the offer. Why don't we meet down there?" He offered, standing and still smiling from her use of their unofficial goodbye. Giving him a thumbs up, she nodded with enthusiasm.

"Will do."

Leaving his empty bottle and the cleared plate, he hurried out of the VIP bar that she just realized was getting a little crowded. Realizing how likely she was to bump into Tann or Addison in a place like this with no back up, she immediately began formulating a plan to meet up with someone else. Checking her teams location on her omni-tool, she looked over options. She hoped to hang out with everyone at some point, but she was hoping for something easy at the moment. Cora was being wooed by her brother, Jaal was with his enormous family, Vetra was probably getting a full story from Sid that would be a pain to explain and Suvi... was near the dance floor with Kallo. That just might be perfect. Opening up her communication link, she opened a line to her pilots.

"Hey, Suvi, you guys headed to the dance floor?"

A burst of music started playing from the other end, along with a laugh she knew well and an accent that she could recognize anywhere. Speaking loud to be heard over the thumping, Suvi replied enthusiastically. "Oh Ryder! There you are! No, we're at the buffet! I'm introducing Kallo to jello shots!"

There was a little bit of a tussle before a more muffled voice spoke up. "They're amazing! So sweet and bouncy, but with such a punch! Your species is incredible!"

Sara but down a chuckle at the sound of her already drunk and giddy pilot. Unable to keep the smile out of her voice, she made her suggestion. "Hope you're not too sauced to dance, Suvi."

There was an absolutely delighted gasp. "Never! Head on down here and I'll show you!"

"On my way."

Cutting the channel and standing tall, she adjusted a few wrinkles in her dress and left the bar. going back to the railing and looking down to see if she could spot anyone she knew from so high up. Despite having a good look at just aboit everything, it was impossible to really discern anything amongst the dim lights, pulsing dance floor, and interspecies sea of bodies. At this height, it wasn't even possible to discern humans from asari. She'd have to find her friends using the locator then.

An unexpected tap on her shoulder made her jump so bad she almost thought she'd tumble over the edge, and she turned to see two giddy salarians standing behind her.

"Pathfinder! It's such an honor! Can we take a holo with you?"

She was absolutely clueless until she remembered the reason this party was happening.

_You're a celebrity now. Channel mom, channel mom..._

Putting on her most confident smile, she answered in a tone that was genuine but hiding a lot of uncertainty. "Sure!"

Slipping in between the two tall, elated aliens, she posed proudly as a VI orb emerged from the omni-tool of the one and hovered in front of them. Hoping she didn't look ridiculously short in the middle, Sara braved the flash and couldn't help but be a little awed by just how enthralled the two seemingly young girls seemed by the holo as they babbled her praises before excusing themselves.

"Thank you so much! Not just for the holo! For everything!"

"You saved our ark!"

"Our lives!"

"Thank you again!"

"You're welcome!" She called out with bewilderment, wondering if what had just happened had been little more than the product of tainted booze. Had she really become so famous? The work kept her out and mapping so often that she never spent much time with normal people anymore. Hopefully this wouldn't be too overwhelming...

"Pathfinder!"

Turning and almost bumping into a young woman in a party dress, she suddenly had a feeling she was going to be very overwhelmed very soon.

"My name's Hope Schmidt, I'm a colonist on Eos... I just wanted, to, you know, thank you for everything! You gave me my life!" She gushed, dark curls bouncing as she struggled to contain herself. Sara smiled again, genuine in her shared joy but not at all confident in her ability to match the image this woman had clearly created in her mind.

"Oh, it wasn't a problem..."

Hope hopped back in and brought her omni-tool online. "Still! Thank you! Can I have a holo?"

"Of course!"

Getting in close and posing once more, Sara hoped she looked as excited as the over the moon woman beside her. As soon as the flash finished, Hope admired the photo and hugged the bracelet holding the memory card to her chest.

"I'm going to hang this up in my new house! I hope you can see it one day! Thank you, Pathfinder!"

"I do too. Good night!" Sara said, watching the woman skip away and then looking straight to the elevator. If she ever wanted to reach that dance floor, she needed to book it like an Architect was on her heels. Fast as said heels would allow, she started power walking. Every step brought her closer and closer until she truly believed she'd seen the last interruption for the evening.

"Pathfinder Ryder!"

_God help me_.

Putting on her smile again, she moved to greet the call and was very surprised to see an asari with what was undoubtedly her daughter in her arms. The little girl was wearing a poofy pink gown that exposed her bare little feet, which, based on the matching shoes poking from her mother's purse, hadn't started that way. Immediately melted by the sight, she let the mother catch up to her. Still holding the little girl Ryder now realized was fast asleep, the woman held out a hand for a handshake she happily took.

"I'm Lexaria. My sister is a huntress that stayed on the Ark to keep it safe. If you hadn't shown up when you did, my little Valenia would have lost her favorite aunt..." She explained, looking to the sleeping girl resting her head on her shoulder and sleepily sucking her thumb. Stroking the girls head, Lexaria continued. "And she was so excited to see you tonight... Even put on her best dress. But she was all tuckered out not long after the speech. Could you, maybe, record a message for when she wakes up? It would mean so much to her."

"Sure!" Sara agreed, heart melted at the thought of having a can that was so beyond adorable. From her little dress to her curled toes to her sucking away at her thumb... Oh, how could she resist? Lexaria turned on her tools vid recorder and pointed it at her while Sara did her best to change her affect to a tone she hoped would appeal to a child.

"Hi Valencia! It's me, Sara Ryder! I'm really happy you aunt is okay, your mom told me all about you. I hope you had fun at the party and that I see you again soon. It was really nice meeting you!"

"Perfect! Thank you so much!" The elated mother said, recording the vid in the memory drive and giving her sleepy daughter a readjustment in her arms. "I didn't want to disturb you and your boyfriend earlier when she was awake, but I just had to try and meet the woman I owe her future."

Of that incredibly sweet sentiment, Sara really only caught one word.

"My boyfriend?"

Lexaria laughed and playfully waved a hand. "I saw him leave looking all official for some business. Get used to that! I'm married to a Turian, so I know the drill. Well, I won't take up any more of your time. Vali needs to get to bed. It was so lovely meeting you, Pathfinder!"

"Nice meeting you too!" She replied politely, watching the woman go with a smile that soon faded into a very thoughtful ponder.

_Boyfriend. Date. At this point it's not a coincidence. What are people seeing? Why do I kinda like that they're seeing it? Shit, I need to dance this off._

Mercifully, she was unobstructed the rest of her journey to the elevator, though she imagined that her delay would already warrent some explanation. At least it was Suvi and not Gil. He'd never let her live down the whole celebrity thing... Pinging the elevator door, she tapped a heel as it crawled to her level. They had space stations, but elevators weren't instant? Of course... She was close to huffing by the time it finally reached her level, and she quickly sidestepped according to etiquette to let the previous riders off. A large group stood crowded inside, and the first passenger had barely taken a step out when a simple bead tilt allowed him to meet Sara's eye and exclaim.

"Guys! It's the Pathfinder!"


	5. Poignant Questions

"Uh, getting off?"

Sara looked to the horde of people in the elevator and knew she would have no such luck, but couldn't help trying regardless. There was a mass shifting of the interspecies crowd to make room for one more, and the man that had spoken up upon seeing her was first to invite her in.

"Not if you're getting on! Hop in!"

Taking a breath, she did just that.

_It's just an elevator ride. You can do this. You can do this._..

Forcing her way in amongst the giddy collection of asari, turians, salarians and even a very cramped krogan, she took a deep breath and let the alcohol in her system help her relax. Feeling her inhibitions shrinking under it's guidance, she let herself ponder on how to make this elevator ride pass faster as the doors closed to seal them in. Before the crowd of fans could even ask for an autograph, she broke the silence with a loud invitation.

"Hey, who wants a group holo?"

The chorus of cheering agreements was as loud as it was indecipherable. Taking that as a deafening cue, she onlined her omni-tool and set up its recorder above the crowd. Immediately, she was pressed into the center of a hoard of eager colonists. Taking a deep breath, she relaxed and let herself loose in the moment, putting on a big smile amongst all the others.

"Everybody say Heleus!"

There was a drowning echo as the camera flashed and took the holo, and afterwards there was an equally loud fuss requesting copies and for her to tag it with them on social media. Relaxed enough to get into the cheerful moment, she decided to go all in and play the part of the fan pleasing Pathfinder.

"And how about a vid?"

There was a revival of the initial glee and a few happy voices that she caught singing her praises as she set up the recorder. Running purely on the luck that had gotten her this far, she went a little bit more out there for her next request.

"Let's hear why everybody made the trip! Count to three, and then say your reason! One, two, three!"

Please let them be cool with that, please let her not have made a fool of herself...

"To meet new cultures!"

"Build a home!"

"Meet my soulmate!"

"Get away from my ex!"

Yup. She was good.

Clicking off the recorder, she opened her Social Star page and posted the files to her rarely used account, syncing her device to tag anyone in her proximity. The move once again had the group saying her praises and chattering amongst themselves as they opened the Nexus sponsored site to adjust their own posts. Unable to stop herself from smiling at the fun she'd created with such a small gesture, she looked to the happy crowd and accepted the chorus of thanks as best she could.

_Ding_

The elevator door opened to the first floor and she excused herself politely, matching the enthusiastic goodbyes and stepping out into the packed and busy party and past those still waiting in line to go up a floor. Making her escape to a corner, she pulled out her omni-tool and tried to pull up Suvi's position, wondering how she'd find her in this impossible crowd even with tech on her side. She'd said they were by the buffet, but wasn't there more than one? And what if she'd moved?

" _Pathfinder, if I may assist._ "

A bit more accustomed to hearing SAM in times of need, she immediately welcomed the help. Surrounded by enough people to create an ever present blanket of sound, she spoke out loud.

"Oh, SAM, that'd be great...'

Her omni-tool pinged. " _I've highlighted Ms. Anwar's location and a path that will bring you to her expediently_."

"Perfect. You're a life saver, SAM." She thanked, following the path through the crowds and enjoying how the darkness and music seemed to keep her hidden. Now feeling quite at ease, she decided to give the AI in her head a little attention. "You enjoying the party?"

" _I am gaining immense amounts of data on new experiences I haven't had any opportunity to observe the past, so yes, I would say that I am enjoying the experience as much as I can._ "

"Good. Even an AI needs to let loose, huh?"

There was a bit of a thoughtful pause. " _I am uncertain that language applies to what I'm doing presently_." Sara smiled at her bound partners still ongoing struggle with humor and informal language. At least he was getting better at processing responses. Perhaps one day he'd manage his first joke... " _I do have a query, Pathfinder_."

"Shoot."

" _Your emotional responses to social interactions with civilians have been exceptionally complex. I measure excitement and trepidation, yet also comfort and what I can best interpret as pride. I would like your perspective on this_."

That took her a little by surprise. But, deciding it was harmless, she answered as she worked her way past a very rowdy series of group tables. "Well I... I'm glad they look up to me, and that I can be something that keeps people hopeful... And I'm proud that I've accomplished enough to be seen like that. But..." The words escaped her for a moment thanks to the alcohol, but came back honestly in a revealing bit of self reflection. "There's also pressure. It's not like a normal conversation with a stranger. I mean something to them. And I have to live up to that. Always. And if I'm not what I need them to be, even for the little things..."

" _Understood_." SAM interrupted helpfully. " _Humans, and organic life as a whole, seems to feel pressure to meet expectations, but enjoy the reward of doing so. And yet, this doesn't explain your responses to Mr. Kandros_?*"

The sudden topic change made her frown and put a metaphorical foot down. "SAM..."

" _I cannot judge, Pathfinder. I ask for the sake of my emotional development_." Came the surprisingly insistent and almost frustrated reply.

"It's stressful when people read things the wrong way." She conceded, hoping to satisfy him with a clipped and admittedly defensive reply. She wasn't talking about this now, especially when she wasn't even ready to fully mull it over herself.

" _And are they_?"

"What?"

" _My experience with romantic attachments is solely on long established relationships, but your interactions and hormone fluctuations seem to indicate the beginning of one. You work together well and respond positively to his presence. Is this not something organic life seeks to embrace_?" SAM pressed, forcing her into a corner with his usual logic. Biting her lip, she chose each word carefully, refusing to let any slip up lead him in the wrong direction.

"Yes, but..." She was nothing but honest. "Kandros is my friend. I like him as my friend. Dating is complicated and messy and not something I have a good track record with. I'd never want to lose what I have with him for anything."

" _Even if you would desire more_?"

The words hurt. They probably weren't intended to and she didn't know why they did, but the pain in her chest was hard to ignore. Choosing not to think about it, she just muttered a final response. "I don't know. Can you understand that much?"

" _No. But I'm beginning to learn that this is to be expected with such subjects._ "

"It is. For now, I'm off the clock." She said, ending the conversation. The silence that followed was very awkward, considering how she was now very aware that he was still with her and observing like he always was. Sighing in exhaustion from the land mine riddled conversation, she moved closer to the pulsing glow of the dance floor and through the steadily more bunched up crowd to the location of her friend. Scanning the mass of people for the familiar bob of natural red that marked Suvi, she spotted her beside a drink table with Kallo. Based on the rising cherry color of her cheeks, she'd been happily helping herself to the contents. Kallo was by her side as always and chatting about something she couldn't hear. As soon as she entered their line of sight, Suvi waved and beckoned her over, the green liquid in her glass threatening to spill at the enthusiasm of her greeting.

"Sara! Long time no see! I can't remember if I said it before, but you look beautiful!" She praised, the flush in her cheeks telling Sara she was a bit tipsier than the last time she'd seen her.

"You too, Suvi." She laughed, unable to get a word in before the bubbly scientist pushed the glass at her face.

"Oh, try this! It's some kind of Salarian algae wine!" Suvi encouraged, holding up the green liquid so close she caught an unfortunate wiff of something that reminded her of low tide.

"Er, algae wine?" Sara pressed, unable to stop herself from crinkling her nose at the smell.

"It's delicious! Try it!" Suvi said, holding out the glass until Sara decided she couldn't disappoint all the enthusiasm in those big hopeful eyes. Holding her breath, she took the offered glass and closed her eyes. A single sip of the green liquid sloshed down her throat, leaving a salty aftertaste that was much farther from pleasant than she'd been hoping for. Grimacing, she could only speak her mind.

"Eh, reminds me of... the ocean."

"The saltwater varieties are always a bit too strong for aliens. I told you to start with freshwater, Suvi..." Kallo spoke up, taking a gulp from his own glass. Thankfully, Suvi didn't look at all disappointed by the outcome.

"I'm Scottish! No brew can scare me!" She declared proudly, taking a big gulp of the drink to accent her point. Kallo only sighed and looked helplessly to Sara.

"I still don't know what that means."

Sara laughed as Suvi finished her glass and put it aside before making another proud declaration. "It means I still have plenty of party left in me. I didn't get so dressed up just to stand around getting tipsy though."

"What else were you planning? That's definitely too nice of a gown to waste on the sidelines." Sara said, hoping to get going before she was offered any other unexpected alien cuisine. The compliment made the scientist giggle and give a half twirl.

'Aw, thanks... I did say I was going to show you what it can do, didn't I?"

"It's sound responsive fabric. If she turns on the power source, it syncs with the music and changes color." Kallo interrupted. Suvi pouted and put her hands on her hips, giving the smirking Salarian as grumpy a look as she could.

"Kallo, you're no fun!"

"Sorry, it's just all you've been talking about! And Ryder has the same augmentation in her dress." He noted, pointing to the shimmering ruffles at the floor of Sara's outfit. All signs of disappointment gone, the scientist looked wide eyed to the ground.

"You do?"

She had to admit the notice caught her a bit off guard. "The Salarian who designed this told me that. And gave me the program to initiate it. But I don't know anything about that stuff."

Suvi grabbed her tech bearing purse and hugged it to her chest, bouncing with surprising grace in heels.

"I do! Wanna take it for a spin?"

Darn it all, Suvi was just too cute.

"Why not?"

The tipsy copilot giggled and motioned to the dance floor, but stopped when realization dawned on her face. Looking back to Sara, she asked for clarification.

"I thought you said you didn't dance?"

All she did was laugh and lift her hands in a helpless gesture. 'Sober me says a lot of things."

"You two go on, I have some other people to catch up with." Kallo piped up from behind them, waving them off as the two tipsy ladies hurried off to the loud and colorful heart of the party.

**Author's Note:**

> Kandros loves riffing pass it on.


End file.
